Grass edge trimmer



May 23, 1950 v. FLICK 2,508,819

GRASS EDGE TRIMMER Filed May 6, 1946 3/ a i? Hmm `Patented May 23, 195.0

OFFICE GRASS EDGE TRIMMER Valentine Flick, Cincinnati, Ohio Application May 6, 1946, Serial No. 667,589

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a grass edge trimmer for trimming grass from close places, such as walks, shrubbery, building foundations, trees, fences, and flower beds without kneeling, stooping, crawling, or sitting on the ground.

The object of the invention is to provide a garden tool or grass edge trimmer which operates on the order of a sickle but is provided with a long handle substantially 36" long which permits the device to be operated with a pendulum or golf-club-like swing while in a standing position, to easily trim the grass from close places such as above specied, and which permits the use of discarded, double-edged razor blades, or the like, thereby eliminating the use of rotary blades or other expensive materials and obviating the necessity of the operator stooping, kneeling, crawling, or sitting on the ground in trimming places which cannot be reached with a lawn mower, as well as eliminating the use of shears, sickles, or other long-bladed cutting implements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of the character described having a relatively long handle and a, head having a clamp or means for holding a plurality of perforated razor blades which have been discarded, especially of the double-edge type, or with two opposite cutting edges, so as to retain the same in position by using the usual holes therein, designed for fastening the blades in a razor, and in such a manner that both edges of the blades, preferably three in number being employed, are eX- posed, in addition to eliminating all expensive complicated springs and parts for holding the blades in place, thereby reducing the danger of injuring the person who assembles it and permitting, by reason of the simplicity of its construction, reduction of the cost of the grass edge trimmer to a minimum.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a grass edge trimmer constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation thereof,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view taken on the plane of the section line 3-3 of Figure 2, and showing the bottom blade holding member or jaw,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the li 5 5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view showing the curvature of one of the bladesecuring members or jaws, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the lower jaw illustrating the tapered flanged guides at opposite side edges thereof. 1 Y

Referring to the drawings in detail, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the grass edge trimmer is shown as comprising an elongated lower member or jaw I Il and an upper lmember or jaw II, both formed of a strip` of metal of corresponding width and thickness and of concave-convex cross section, as shown ln the sectional views of Figures 4, 5, and 6, with the bottom surface convexed, as indicated at I2, and the top surface concaved, as indicated at I3, The member I IJ is longer than the member II, and is bent angularly, as at I4, at an obtuse Vangle to the bottom portion of the member I0 at an angle slightly greater than a right angle, to form an attaching shank I5, for securing the same to a handle I 6, which is preferably a long golf-clublike handle approximately 36 inches long, or whatever corresponding length may be required according to the height of the person who uses the implement. Theshank I5 is shown fitted in aslot or kerf I'I in the lower end of the handle, which may be tapered, as indicated at I8, at lts extreme lower end, and provided with a pair of apertures I 9 aligning with correspondingV apertures 20 in the shank I5, to receive clamping and holding bolts 2| Two of such bolts 2I are preferably employed, to rigidly secure the member I l) at its shank portion I5 in alignment with the handle I6, and held by the clamping nuts 22 mounted on the threaded ends of the bolts as shown.

. `As previously stated, the curvature oi the Y members I0 and I I is adapted to cause said members to nt one over the other in conforming relation and eachis provided with four equidistantly spaced apertures or holes 23, or other suitable number desired, which are disposed in alignment or registry, when the plate or clamp jaw III is fitted over the plate or clamp jaw I0, to receive bolts 24, which have their heads 25 preferably countersunk in the bottom face of the jaw member I0 and are designed to be held by butterfly or wing nuts 26 mounted on the threaded upper ends of the bolts against the upper face ofthe jaw member II. The purpose ,of this is toY hold a plurality of razor [blades 21 of the.. two v, or

double-edge type in position to form the cutting edges, said blades being usually discarded razor blades. Ordinarily, the blades are provided with openings or apertures 28 near the ends thereof designed to receive the fastening means for securing the blades in position in a razor, and the apertures or holes of the respective blades are all equidistantly spaced apart the same distance as the vdistance between the bolts 24. Thus, one ofthe blades is engaged on a pair of the bolts 24 at the free ends of the jaws l0 and Il and another blade engaged on the other pair of bolts at the inner ends of said jaws adjacent to the handle, so as to abut at their inner edges, as indicated at 29. Another blade 21 is then placed over the innermost two bolts 24 so as to overlie or overlap the inner halves of the afore= said two blades, and form a continuous cutting edge at each side of the bars or clamp constituting the blade-holding means, and so that the cutting edges 30 thereof will project slightly beyond the longitudinal or side edges of the clamping members or jaws l and I I. When the' blades lare so applied to the jaw member I e, the jaw member ll is placed over the bolts and then the 1 lnuts, 26 applied thereto so as to clamp the blades in position. The arcuate or curved formation of the jaw members lo and il will cause' slight fieiting or bending of the blades in arcuate form so as toproject the cutting edges thereof slightly upwardly at the proper angle, with the cutting edges on both sides, and so that the' blades will tend to move upwardly away from the' ground in an are substantially' conforming to the arc of swi'g of the handle when the impeinent is in lise, employing a pendulum' or golf-clllb-lke swing while the Operator' is in a standing position.V In delto assist in guiding the grass to be cut against the blades at points close to a wall or other object, the otef end of the jaw member Il) is preferably provided with tapered flanges or extensions 3l at opposite side edges and corners thereof, with conaved inner edges 32 forming hooks facilitating said guiding action to' hook or pull the grass into and against the cutting edges, andwith the outer edges conforming to the free end edge of the member IU frming a convex end. A

I"Jlhu's, a person in a standing position can oper- V ate the device as described, with a cutting action in either direction of swing by reason of Ythe continuous cutting edge on both sides, and by having the clamp narrower than the razor blades, so as to expose enough of the edges of the blades on eitherside of the clamp to permit the instru- 'ment toMhave an exposed cutting edge on both sides. Thus, while the` clamp orV head may be made yrelatively short, as described, it may be used to employ any number of a plurality `of blades, although three are shown.y The device eliminates all (exjzneri'sive and complicated springs employed for holding the blades, and thereby'reduces ythe ydanger of injury ,to the person who sssempies'u. with me long handle as despiited,

[and the device with the keen-cutting edges as described on both sides, the operator can cut grass elose to building foundations, trees, fences,

' walks', and flower beds withoutl kneeling, stoopr'lg, crawling', or Sitting on the ground. The

` iblidg'e g'iafss tllIlII1`A A"erL also eliminates the necessity of using shears, sick'les, or other' longblded implements when trimming grass edges,

andthe simplicity of construction reduces the cost of the grass edge trimmer to a minimum --theeby placing the same within the reach of a11.

invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A grass edge trimmer` 'comprising a handle, a clamp comprising a pair of jaw members of elongated bar form, one of said jaw members having a flatwise angularly bent shank portion, means fr securing said shank portion to the handle at its lower end with the handle extending upwardly therefrom, said handle being of a length whereby the same may be swung with a golf-like swing while in a standing position, a s'eond jaw member fitting over the rst jaw member, and both members being of concavoconvex cross section, fastening bolts fitted through openings in said jaw members in eddidistantly spaced relation, double-'edged 'safety 'r'azor blades having end openings for engagement by said boite se that the blades will projecteurwardly and upwardly from 'the edges of said jaw members when fle'zd between the jaw 'members upon clamping the same together, and nuts 'ehgag'ed on said bolts to clamp said jaw members together against the blades, the lower jaw meinber' having the outer end thereof provided with tapered flanges at opposite' sides curved inwardly to4 guide grass 'close to objects toward the cutting tening bolts tted through openings in said jaw members in equidistantly spaced relation, double- `edged safety razor blades having openings near the ends thereof to t over the bolts so that the blades will project outwardly and upwardly from 'the edges of said jaw members when flexed between the jaw members upon clamping the same together, and nuts engaged on said bolts to rclamp said jaw members together against the blades, the lower jaw member having the outer end thereof provided with tapered flanges extending toward the opposite edges thereof to guide grass close to objects toward the cutting edges, said anges having concaved inner vguiding edges extending to and merging with the edges of the lower jaw member.

VALENTINE FLICK.

REFERENGES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

